NOAH’S ARK, 1987

Acrylic on masonite; 41" X 51"

1989.6.15

Kentucky Folk Art Center

Religion is an important subject for many Kentucky folk artists, and the Old Testament account of Noah’s ark is one of the most frequently depicted stories from the Bible. The setting of this painting is a style of landscape common in Hugo Sperger’s work.

About the Artist | Classroom Ideas | Links

About the Artist

Born to German parents in northern Italy in 1922, Hugo Sperger immigrated to the United States through Ellis Island with his family in 1929. He grew up on a farm in upstate New York and joined the United States Army in 1940. After serving in the Pacific in World War II, he returned home briefly before moving to the Midwest, where he worked for a while in factories in Michigan and Indiana. He married Faye Read and, in 1955, the couple moved to her home community near Salyersville, in Magoffin County, Kentucky.

Sperger felt somewhat isolated and out of place in rural Kentucky, and his wife bought him some paints to occupy his time. Over the years he experimented with watercolors and oils, producing hundreds of paintings. Eventually he turned to acrylics.

Sperger’s paintings cover a broad range of subject matter, including scenes of Eastern Kentucky and Italy, Biblical tales, and classical legends. He created many paintings featuring himself and his wife—some biographical, others drawn entirely from his imagination. His best-known works are two large paintings: Genesis, which measures 4' X 6', and Revelations, which measures 4' X 8'. He also did woodwork for many years, producing toys, model soldiers, and even a series of erotic sculptures. Sperger’s work began to receive public attention in the mid-1980s, when he mounted a large solo exhibition at Morehead State University. His paintings have since been included in many exhibitions of contemporary folk art.

Diagnosed with cancer in the 1970s, Sperger underwent surgeries and numerous rounds of chemotherapy and radiation and received periodic laser treatments up until 1995. He lived much longer than his doctors expected. When asked why in 1994, he said that he had too much left to do and simply was not ready to die. He passed away at his home on January 26, 1996.

Classroom Ideas

Discussion: How effectively does this painting tell the familiar story of Noah’s ark? Does it conjure a sense of urgency in regard to boarding the ark? How does it make you feel? Does the painting tell the story in a new way? Do you think the background is a local landscape, a landscape from some other place, or a fantasy landscape created in Sperger’s imagination? Why?

Activity: Choose a familiar story, then choose a scene that conveys an important part of the story. Draw or paint the scene.